Hi BEST members,
The Obama administration revealed rules that will regulate carbon
pollution from power plants by 30 percent. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) formally announced the new regulations on power plants
which are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, nearly 40
percent. The regulations would reduce carbon pollution from power plants
by 2030. The climate crisis we are experiencing is heading in the right
direction but there has been a backlash about these new rules. A lobby
group for the coal industry, which will be affected the most, said the
rules would hurt the economy and can lead America to an energy crisis.
The rules could affect 1,600 plants which many are about 50 years old.
But overall the rules could increase pollution savings and even lower
medical bills.
The EPA will set individual reductions target for each state and they
will have until 2016 to plan a strategy to meet the targets. This is an
essential step to dealing with the problem of climate change. We can
switch to a cleaner-burning natural gas, form cap-and-trade markets, and
this opens up to using more renewable energy.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/02/obama-rules-coal-climate-change
"Obama Unveils Historic Rules to Reduce Coal Pollution by 30%." Suzanne
Goldenberg. The Guardian.
June 3 2014
Thanks,
Natalie Chavez
Undergraduate Intern
2014 BioEnergy & Sustainability School
Soil and Water Science Department
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